Eternal Dusk
by RoseblossomWarrior
Summary: pmd3 based T for violence. After his brother's death, Dusknoir struggles for self-preservation. But when he finds out about a plot to end the world of darkness in exchange for light and disappearance, he finds that he cannot let that happen. He can't die.


**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN POKEMON.**

_a/n So, I was playing Explorer's of the Sky, and I was playing Grovyle's mission AGAIN (AhhhhhGrovyleILoveYou~~), and somewhere along the line, I realized that we actually know very little about Dusknoir (actually, I think I thought that when Grovyle said Dusknoir only served Dialga because he didn't want to disappear)._

_Now, I have a love/HATE relationship with Dusknoir. I HATE him for doing such horrible things, but I have to admit... I sort of sympathyze with him - I mean, come on, he didn't want to disappear! Plus, compared to the other bad guys in all the Pokemon games, he's the best at being bad. Even more of a plus, there are hardly any stories about Dusknoir (that I've seen)._

_The more I thought about it, the more I realized that we **all** probably are afraid to disappear (but I have found some comfort in Grovyle's words (AhhhhhGrovyleILoveYou~~)). So, I have come to have a like/hate relationship with Dusknoir since I sympathize with him more (like less than love, and hate less than HATE, so it's almost evened out now). So, I twisted just what little we know about Dusknoir and produced this. I hope you enjoy it. ;) (And before you ask, some things mentioned are meant to be mysterious, so I won't answer them.)_

**Eternal Dusk**

I was never truly bothered by the darkness. Being a Ghost, the frozen landscape… suited me. It suited my kind.

In a way, us Ghosts weren't as… twisted as the rest of the world. The darkness was our ally against foes. We never thought twice about it at all.

My species has an incredible lifespan - so long is it that, aided by our mysterious behavior, rumors have been spread that we never die. That we _were _always there, that we _are _always there, that we will always _be _there. But if Ninetales, the Pokemon which lives one thousand years, must die, then so must we.

The problem was… In my tribe, when I was a Duskull, we lived so long that even _I _believed the rumor - though it was more by assumption than anything. The only things that died were our prey. Nothing else, nothing more.

You may not believe it, but there is one memory that still sends shivers through my nerves…

It was so long ago. Years. My tribe was nomadic, and we were crossing over a terrain that the elders said their grandparents called Shimmer Desert. The words meant nothing to me - for in this 'timeless' place, what was a _shimmer _and what was a _desert_?

The last thing I had eaten was a scrawny Rattata, and that had been days ago. I and the rest of my tribe were starving, but my conscious mind didn't perceive that that meant we were dying. I merely thought that I was going to be uncomfortable until we found some prey to sustain ourselves.

Like always, our tribe's Sableye crawled along underneath us like vermin, but their jewel-encrusted bodies weren't fit to eat. They clung to us for survival, eating the bones of our prey whenever we didn't feel like eating anything crunchy (Sableye ate gemstones, but they lusted for blood as well). In return, they were our lackeys. Each of my tribe had one - the higher you were ranked, the more Sableye you had.

I was traveling beside my brother, Dren. At the time, we were both low-leveled, but he even more so was timid and rarely was the one to deal the finishing blow to our prey. I had heard the elders comment on how he wouldn't go far because of the Curse.

I'd heard of the Curse before, though I never really understood it. Apparently in every generation, there was a 'bad Egg.' While still in the Egg, the Pokemon would receive visions of the 'past.' The past was where the _landscape _had color, where the trees swayed in the 'breeze,' where there was a 'sun.'

It was all a bunch of idiocy, though. The elders, though kind, were all mental cases in their age. But they did make a bit of sense, though. Our tribe wasn't exceptionally large, but there were groups organized by age. And in nearly every one, there was one like Dren.

Dren wasn't a bad Pokemon, he was just born timid. Occasionally I would overhear comments on how it was strange that, while we were brothers, we were so different. He stuttered whenever he spoke, while I could say that the sun was shinning and you would believe me, though I wouldn't even understand what I was saying. We were polar opposites, but I cared for him, in a sense, since feelings such as brotherhood were… uncommon, so to speak.

Our stomachs were churning in protest at the lack of food, but I wasn't worried, though I could tell Dren was. He was always worried about every little thing, however. It was the norm for him to cast his eye about nervously, to flinch at any sudden movement.

While he glanced about, I kept my eye peeled for any sign of prey. We were traveling in the middle of the group and had little chance of spotting anything, but you could never be too careful. I had promised to catch the both of us prey, after all.

It all happened so fast, I had absolutely no time to react. One moment, Dren was beside me, and the next, he wasn't. I heard a ferocious, hungry snarl, and looked down to see Drasco, a Dusclops of our tribe, holding my brother against the ground. Before Dren could phase out of Drasco's grip (which is much harder than you may think), the Dusclops gripped him by the teeth of his skull and pried.

There was a short, painful screech. The gaseous blood that belonged to us Ghosts exploded everywhere. It swirled in the air like a dark being. My kind can see through the absence of light, but not blood. I don't think I wanted to see.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, my tribe started to…swarm. Suddenly, my brother had become a Ghostly meal.

I was frozen. Concepts were both forming and being destroyed (or perhaps I was suddenly just understanding?) in my mind. When prey was killed and eaten, its life ended and it was forgotten. My brother was being…eaten. Did that mean his life was over? That he meant nothing?

The threat of death was suddenly very, very real. And I could not let myself disappear.

* * *

The reason for my brother's death came down to two things. One, my tribe was on the brink of death by hunger. Two, he was the lowest-ranking member of the tribe.

To ensure my survival, I doubled my efforts in the hunt. I asserted my dominance over the younger or weaker than myself, and used my charisma to become the favorite youngling of the higher-ups, though it was a challenge to get on the good side of our leader, and Dusknoir named Darin.

With my increased efforts, I evolved far before my peers. The feeling of my atoms shifting, the feeling of growing stronger, the light emanating from me… it was mesmerizing and ended far too quickly.

Evolving so promptly and becoming so strong earned me two more Sableye. I kept them nearby at nearly all times but rarely used them, for what was there for them to do? Most of the time, when they weren't doing anything of importance, I had them train against each other. Strong, subordinate lackeys could help to ensure my survival, after all, if anything were to happen.

Despite my swift climb up the hierarchy, being a Dusclops was not the highlight of my life. Merely looking at my hands reminded me of the gaseous blood, of the dying scream…

I wanted to rid myself of this form, to evolve into a Dusknoir. But only the leader of the tribe was allowed that honor. For survival's sake, I kept my mouth shut and my head high.

As time passed, I gained three more Sableye. I kept them in line with an iron fist, refusing any mistakes from them. I had always been… cruel to them, but now I was even more so.

Darin came to me one day when we were again passing over the Shimmer Desert. We were starving again, and needed food desperately. Darin gave me a deal; he would offer me a top position if I could find food by the end of the day. If I failed, I faced exile - or worse.

That night, I took the life of Danae, a female Duskull so much like my brother that it physically hurt me to end her. But I did, and I can't take it back.

* * *

Being a nomadic tribe, we passed by 'civilizations' - or more like '_un-_civilizations' - all over the continent. Gossip always reached our ears; of how a herd of juicy-looking Stantler had passed by not too long ago, of how Primal Dialga had ravaged a forest a long way's away for no reason, and… of how a human had been sighted.

Humans were exceedingly rare and troublesome. Legends had depicted them as ruthless and greedy, even going so far as to capture Pokemon for their own amusement. Now, more than ever, I wanted to evolve, to grow even stronger.

One day, my tribe retreated into the hollows of trees to rest (for we were nocturnal - not that it mattered in the world of darkness, but our internal clocks signaled for sleep). We were in some wood that I cannot recall the name of. I approached Darin and took him further into the woods, neither of us with any Sableye (for if I brought one, he would bring two), and flat-out asked him how to evolve.

Immediately feeling his leadership position threatened, he attacked me, pinning me to the ground in less than a second. He spat at me, inquiring how I _dared_ to ask how to get a Reaper Cloth.

Images of Dren dying filled my mind, and I was too frozen with fear to retaliate or phase out of his grip. The word _death_ echoed in my mind, so loudly that for a moment I didn't notice that I wasn't being pinned anymore.

I looked up to see Darin being attacked by a green Pokemon. Streams of gaseous blood were pouring out of cuts on his arms, and he looked incredibly pained, scared, and ashamed as he turned tail and fled.

The green Pokemon stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. Then, he turned back to me, and I recognized it vaguely as a Grovyle.

Thoughtful, triumphant, and… slightly cocky, he commented that the Dusknoir had quite the reaction for being asked how to evolve.

I was silent as he helped me up. I'd seen a few Grovyle before, but this one looked particularly lean and travel-weary. A simple sack was slung over his shoulder, and I could faintly smell berries and meat.

His face grew solemn and determined, and he told me about how I probably would not have been attacked if there was light in the world.

I gave him an inquisitive look and asked what he meant.

Earnestly, he explained that there was a time - _time _- when there was sunshine and moving air and actual color. That life back then was worth living, and that he was going to change the world from one of darkness to one of light, where every Pokemon and human could live happily.

At the mention of _human_, I recoiled.

He didn't seem to notice, however, as he went on. He explained how he, someone named Celebi, and a human named Jill would fix the world and end Primal Dialga. That they would be happy even though they'd disappear. Eagerly, he asked me if I would join them.

My stunned state turned to ferocity and I glared at him. I shouted at him, criticizing his foolish willingness to die, his eagerness to ask others to die. I called him everything I could think of, declaring that Primal Dialga would have his head.

He seemed hurt, and he grew angry and defensive, saying that I didn't have the guts to die for the betterment of others, that I was a coward.

The words struck too close to home, and I hit him with an Ice Punch. The attack sent him sprawling backwards, crying out in surprise.

Out of nowhere came an almost pinkish creature with long blond hair on its head, a long stick held in its hand as a weapon. It wasn't a Pokemon, which had to mean that it was a human.

Frightened at the sudden appearance, I swore at them as I fled, exclaiming that they would fail in the quest. I promised to myself that they would not have me disappear.

I hurried back to camp, gathered up my Sableye, and fled. I knew Darin would exile me - or worse - but that wasn't making me leave. I was going to evolve and join Primal Dialga.

* * *

It seemed to take forever to track down information. I had my Sableye search for info on where to find a Reaper Cloth, while I 'asked around' for where I could find Primal Dialga.

In due time, my Sableye managed to locate one _Luminous Spring_, a place I would need to go to if I were to evolve (there were many other places spread out across the continent, but this was the closest). I had to forcefully steal a Reaper Cloth from a Keckleon merchant - not an easy feat, but doable.

I traveled quickly to Luminous Spring. I stood in the middle of the spring above the water, clutching the dreaded cloth, and I glowed. My atoms shifted, growing more powerful… again, it was over all too quickly, but at least I didn't have to look at those Dusclops hands again!

I quickly became used to being Dusknoir; it was like I was born to become this. My power was extraordinary, and I was finally ready to face Primal Dialga and request to serve him.

In the past, Temporal Tower was stashed in the Hidden Land, but I supposed that Dialga thought that unnecessary and had moved his fortress out of the gap in time.

As I stood looking down into the chasm, a pair of giant, glowing red eyes glared at me, and I knew that if I made the slightest mistake, I wouldn't have to worry about disappearing anymore. There was no backing out. Good thing I had charisma.

I pledged my loyalty to him - as well as my Sableyes', to pledge to call him Master. I explained of the plot to destroy him, about everything I knew of Grovyle, Celebi, and the human.

Primal Dialga let out a snarl of rage. He was incapable of rational speech, but he sent me a split-second telepathic signal to track Grovyle and the others and kill them.

I agreed to his wish, and me and my Sableye headed out, but not before Master Dialga informed me of the Time Gears - the mythical gears that had once regulated time. The only things that could take back time.

With this new information, I headed out.

* * *

It took a while to find Grovyle. He and the human, Jill, were wandering about a place once called Foggy Forest. Before they noticed us, I heard them say something about the 'Dimensional Scream' (I asked Dialga about it later, and he revealed to me that it was an ability which, after touching an object, the person who had the ability could see a vision of the past or future of the object. I didn't see the use in it, but no matter).

Grovyle didn't seem to recognize me - for now I was fully evolved - and I barely recognized his attitude. Before, he had been almost like an eager adolescent, but now, he was more thoughtful and cautious, immediately seeing me as a threat. I got the feeling that something had happened to him to make him more protective, but I suspect I'll never know what.

As my Sableye surrounded them, I reminded them of how I had warned them that they would fail.

I think I saw recognition fill his eye, but I can't be sure. The next moment, Grovyle had smashed a Luminous Orb to the ground. When the blinding light dissipated, he and the human were gone.

I continued to chase them, and while we met up many times after that, I could never manage to catch them - or Celebi, whom I only saw once at that time - before they slipped into the Passage of Time.

* * *

The world of the past was staggering. The light, the wind, the ocean, the cheer… it was astounding. Beautiful, even. A wonderful change from the eternal darkness I called my home.

But when I closed my eye, I remember the blood of my brother. Dren's death had taught me to stay alive no matter the cost. So, I banished any pleasure I felt from the effects of time and went to work.

I learned everything I could, for knowledge is power. I went out alone on so-called 'expeditions,' for my Sableye were rather morbid to look at in this time period. I acted modest and flattered others often to increase my reputation. Grovyle would be cautious in the extreme, and I would have to deceive these foolish members of 'Treasure Town' if I wanted a better chance to catch him and preserve myself. I even went so far as to help a pitiful exploration team consisting of a Mudkip and a Pikachu, which actually helped me.

The Mudkip and Pikachu were a part of Team Ground-Out (a pretty idiotic name if you ask me, but at least it wasn't something like 'PokePals,' which was, from what I'd read, a pretty common team name). They asked me to help them one day, and I learned that the Mudkip had amnesia… but could remember being human. She had the Dimensional Scream ability… and her name was Jill.

It couldn't be a coincidence. I had struck gold. I don't know how - perhaps there was an accident as they traveled through time - but Grovyle was separated from his dear partner, and here she was, free for me to manipulate. And manipulate I did.

It was all so easy to lie. The claim Grovyle a criminal out to stop time. They went along with it so willingly, too.

* * *

Like so many times before, my next encounter with Grovyle ended with a flash of light and a wild goose chase.

* * *

I ended up having to reveal to the town that I, too, was from the future - I twisted the details, of course. That only made everyone think more highly of me, more willing to help me. They spread a rumor that Azelf was to seal away the Time Gear, and I and my Sableye laid in wait for him

In a few days, we had him.

My Sableye went ahead of me into the Dimensional Hole. I said a few 'boo-hoo' farewells before I called Jill and Pikachu before me. They were so sad that I was leaving… and even more surprised when I dragged them to the future with me. I'm not sure why I dragged the Pikachu, but I did. Oh well, what was another rodent to kill?

I had the Sableye tie the three to the stockades, and then attack them ferociously with their Fury Swipes. But that was a mistake never to be made again, I decided as Grovyle and Co. disappeared _yet again _in the flash of a Luminous Orb.

* * *

When I learned they had escaped me, I sent the Sableye to keep a tab on them, deciding that we may as well get rid of Celebi too, the little pest. When I was informed of the location of the Passage of Time, I requested Master Dialga to come with us, for with him victory was guaranteed.

* * *

I took extreme pleasure in watching Grovyle's priceless expression as he learned that the Mudkip behind him was once his partner. A human. I dug the fact even further under his skin as I explained how I knew; how stupidly Team Ground-Out trusted me. How foolish they all were for walking right into my trap!

I'm not sure which expression pleased me more: Grovyle's disbelieving face, or his face of utter failure as he realized Master Dialga was with me. He gave up. I was almost disappointed.

To this day, I'm not sure how they slipped by me. The Pikachu somehow managed to get Celebi to teleport right to the Passage of Time. Master Dialga was able to uncover them, but they escaped back to the past before I could catch them.

* * *

It was a long time before I saw them again at the Old Ruins. Finally, I was able to fight them with no interferences. But somehow… we were overpowered. As a last resort, I shot a Shadow Ball at them from the mouth of my stomach (one of my most powerful attacks, I might add), but they shoved the attack right back at me. And it hurt like hell.

My Sableye abandoned me and fled into the Dimensional Hole. The Pikachu went to the top of the ruins to put the Relic Fragment in the Rainbow Stoneship, leaving Grovyle and Jill to watch me.

As my fear mounted, I attempted to get things back under my control. I revealed to the once-human that if time was restored, history would be changed, and we Pokemon of the future would disappear.

The Mudkip looked shocked, and Grovyle looked pained as he explained that she wouldn't remember their resolve to disappear. To die for the betterment of others.

When Jill's expression became determined, my fear clutched even more fiercely at my heart, and I sprang up after their attention was diverted by the sound of the Rainbow Stoneship. In a burst of adrenaline, I smacked Jill to the ground, declaring that they would never change history. I brought my arm down to attack the Mudkip again, but… Grovyle shielded her.

I couldn't stop talking - for my adrenaline was making me even more paranoid about self-survival - and I neared Grovyle. Grovyle stood shakily and let out a sudden, fearsome roar, pouncing on my and pushing me to the Dimensional Hole..

As I struggled, I was vaguely aware of the Pikachu coming back. Grovyle bade them goodbye (his words then will forever be lost to me - like I was paying attention to the words coming out of his mouth!), giving them the Time Gears before pushing the both of us into the Dimensional Hole.

* * *

When I awoke, I found my Sableye crowded around me. After a quick smack to all of them for abandoning me, I realized that Grovyle was a little ways away, unconscious. I realized I still had a chance to live, and, thinking quickly, I told my Sableye of the plan.

* * *

It went off without a hitch. We had Grovyle thoroughly fooled that Master Dialga had replaced me, that my Sableye were forced to attack me.

I traveled with him, and when we 'found out' that Celebi had been captured, he fell even further into my ploy. His concern for Celebi outweighed his caution for me!

Confident I would win and survive, I allowed for my guard to slip. Somewhere along the way through the dungeons, I had become… displeasingly attached to him. A friendly enemy, if you will.

And… I saved him from that falling hunk of ice. I fought beside him against the Mamoswine and the Glalie… and finally, his words seemed to at least partially break through.

'_Everything ends eventually. _

'_Even if history is changed… even if the world of darkness continues in its current state…_

'_Eventually the day will come when I won't be here anymore._

'_The important thing is not how long you live…_

'_It's what you accomplish with your life._

'_While I live, I want to shine._

'_I want to prove that I exist._

'_If I could do something really important… that would definitely carry on into the future. No… not just into the future. In Jill and Pikachu's future, too…_

'_My spirit has become part of them, I believe. In them, my spirit is alive. And that spirit could be passed along to others._

'_And so, if I were to disappear… I think all that I have accomplished will go on._

'_That is… That would mean… that it's living, right?'_

The way he sounded when he ended… it was as if, that while he believed what he was saying, he wasn't quite sure of it. It was all theory, but…living forever, in the lives that you touched… That would mean Dren… that would mean I…

Concepts were forming again. The thought that I could be immortalized by touching upon the lives of others was tempting… but in the end, I would still die.

Master Dialga had told me that he would immortalize me if I was loyal to him till the end (was there an end to a place with no time?). I could not turn my back on that opportunity. The fear of the alternative was too great. I blocked Grovyle's words from my mind and continued on as if we were still blood enemies.

* * *

The fool Grovyle fell for the trap easier than I thought. His concern for Celebi's well-being in the clutches of Spiritomb caused him to advance directly into the path of the electricity.

I could not help but gloat as Grovyle's spirit slowly melted away. How _he _was the new agent, how I would be going back to the past in his body, how the destruction of time wasn't going to be stopped, all because _he had decided to trust me._

Grovyle struggled with his words (for he _was_ being erased from the world). He said he still…trusted me. That I trusted him. That we had become… friends.

Flustered at the unexpected response, I argued that I had nothing but despise for him, that he was mistaken.

But then… he spoke of my loyal spirit. How my loyalty to Master Dialga came only from my desire to disappear - from my loyalty to myself. That me and my Sableye couldn't truly live in this darkened world after we had experienced light.

I clutched my head in agony, mental images flashing behind my eye. My Sableye attempted to help me, but I swatted them away. I was in pain; my fear… Dren's death, my near-death experience with Darin… Grovyle's words, echoing in my ears along with Dren's scream of pain… Along with Grovyle's agonized cry…

I saved him. Just as Grovyle's time was almost over, I pushed him out of the electrical current. I injured myself in the process, but the pain was nothing like the mental agony I had just overcome. Now, Grovyle's words had fully come through. I was still afraid of death (only fools aren't, in my opinion), but it was more…bearable. My determination to shine while I lived outweighed the fear of destruction. Though I was still physically hurt, I finally felt… relieved.

However, the feeling didn't last long, and was not shared by my Master.

Too exhausted to fight back, I let Master Dialga punish me, pushing me nearer and nearer to death… But I was saved by time's movement. The aurora, the wind, the light, it distracted Dialga, causing the fear I had felt earlier to form inside him. The need for self-preservation, the feeling we had strongly shared just moments ago, overtook him, and he raced for the Passage of Time.

* * *

Spiritomb and my Sableye stayed at the bottom of the icy mountain as Grovyle, Celebi, and I made for the pinnacle. I had seen a soft light emanate from his body, and I knew that we were about to make the final stand. There was no turning back. I wanted to end this darkness… I wanted to shine.

* * *

After Primal Dialga had fallen, my body suddenly became incredibly heavy. I fell to the ground, as did Grovyle and Celebi, and I knew that this was it. My final moments.

I was still afraid, and I thought of Dren. It was hard to speak, but I asked Grovyle if, in my life, I had shined.

He said I did.

Relief washed over me. I had no regrets but… if I had been able to do _something, _maybe Dren could have lived…

But then again, he still lived inside me, and if I had touched upon the lives of others, so had he.

* * *

It's not a miracle… we were saved. It was… a gift, Dialga had said, from a being higher than himself.

Light flooded the sky, and as the breeze buffeted us, Grovyle shouted wholeheartedly into the wind, thanking Jill and Pikachu, reveling in the fact that we hadn't disappeared. That _we were alive._

If I could ever add words to any one of Grovyle's, to any time he's ever said something (and I believe no one truly can), I would say this:

_No life is ever truly a waste._


End file.
